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Man, teen charged with arson, killing animals in wake of Edson area fires

Author of the article:

Lauren Boothby

Publishing date:

March 5, 2020 • 3 minute read

Mounties have charged two males in a string of arsons in Edson and Whitecourt. File photo.Photo by Supplied/ Town of Edson

Residents in the Edson area are breathing a sigh of relief now that a man and a teen have been arrested after arsons at car dealerships, a pet store, and a gas station, says the mayor.

The destruction that began early December caused over $10 million in damage and sparked alarm in the community. The Edson Chrysler Dodge Jeep dealership was set alight Dec. 9, and an off-site vehicle was found burned the same day. KW Pets inWhitecourt was torched a day after Christmas, followed by another blaze at Edson Honda on Dec. 30.

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“It’s been a really stressful time for our community, lots of uncertainty for the fires that have occurred, so we’re very happy to see the arrests,” said Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara on Wednesday.

“The residents have had a huge concern over this, especially as we saw the two fires that occurred one month after each other. There has been a concern from business owners and residents, whether or not they would be next.”

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Just over 8,400 people live in Edson, and two of the town’s largest car dealerships were incinerated. Both are big employers, and their destruction ignited fears among residents and businesses in the community, some who made efforts to protect themselves from the threat by increasing security.

“Being in a small, rural Alberta community, whenever a business such as that goes out of business for a while, it certainly has an impact,” Zahara said. “(It was) right before Christmas as well, making it extra difficult, many with families and kids.”

Edson Chrysler Dodge Jeep and Edson Honda have since reopened.

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In a statement posted on Facebook Wednesday, Edson Honda thanked police for finding the suspects, saying they are “extremely satisfied with the outcome.”

Gas station fire the ‘catalyst’ in police investigation

Just over a week ago, on Feb. 23, an arsonist targeted a Petro Canada gas station inNitonJunction, approximately 45 km east of Edson.RCMP Sgt. Kevin Gaal said that fire was the “catalyst” in their investigation.

Evidence collected at the scene, including video surveillance, helped police find who they believe are the culprits. The same vehicle appeared to be associated with each incident, and all the fires were started the same way — although police aren’t giving specifics on the methods.

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Gaal said the suspects seemed to have been motivated by theft and may have lit fires to destroy evidence.

“That’s what bewildered us … it’s one thing to go into a business and steal its content, it’s another totally different animal to go in and light it on fire,” he said.

Vehicles weren’t stolen in the dealership robberies. Thieves grabbed merchandise they could carry and burned the dealerships down on their way out, he said.

The only item taken from the Whitecourt pet store was a four-month-old Chihuahua puppy. Police hope the animal is still alive, and are asking the person who has it to return it, and they won’t be charged.

But hundreds of other animals died in that fire, including hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, feeder mice, geckos, bearded dragons, scorpions, snakes, hamsters, gerbils, hermit crabs and more than 50 tanks of fish.

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Gaal said he’s never seen anything like these arsons in a small town before.

“It just takes one person with (a) criminal mindset to alter a community,” he said. “It kind of sends you to your knees, at first, then you pick yourself up and you move on, and you learn from it. And, hopefully, it works its way through the court process like it’s supposed to.”

Thomas James Berube, 37, and a 17-year-old boy are facing charges for several arsons, breaking and entering, theft, and injuring or killing animals.

Both were remanded into custody and are scheduled to be in Edson Provincial Court on March 17.